Category: Kenneth Stewart

Songs of the Spirit, The Place of the Psalms in the Worship of God, edited by Kenneth Stewart

Songs of the Spirit coverSongs of the Spirit can be purchased from Peter and Rachel Reynolds Books. It is £5 and the proceeds go to hospices in Scotland. Estimated postage costs are: USA (0-7): £1.80; USA (8-9) & Rest of World including EU: £3.30

A sample chapter is here. View Sample

Songs of the Spirit is an important study on the subject of praise. We need sound teaching on biblical worship. The worship that God commands from us, rather than that which we choose to give to Him. A variety of authors from various Churches have contributed to this volume. They share a common conviction that we must worship God in the songs that He Himself has inspired. “It is the conviction of all who contribute to this book that the recovery of earnest, intelligent and spiritual unaccompanied singing of Psalms in the praise of the church is a major part of the repentance and renewal so badly needed in the church today.”

Another publication called Reformed Worship may also be of interest. It is £1. View Sample

Reformed Worship is a vital guide to Reformed Worship Coverworship. Nothing is more sacred and more important than the worship of God. The Bible must have the pre-eminent place in our worship services. But how should a service of public worship feel and sound when the Word of God has central place and reverence for God governs everything? This booklet describes a service of reverent worship grounded upon Scripture principles. It will be helpful for those who conduct public worship as well as those seeking for worship that truly honours God. It will have a hearty reception where there is a sincere desire to know how to worship God in spirit and in truth. It is extracted and updated from an older publication called The Directory of Public Worship. This updated extract is in no way meant to replace the original authoritative document. Instead, it shows its abiding relevance and may encourage many to read the original for themselves.

Thanks to Matthew Vogan for sending this information along!

Update on the Stornoway RPCS church plant:

Culregrein Mission House, Stornoway

The following is from the September 2011 Stornoway RPCS congregational newsletter:

“It has been 2 months now since services of public worship commenced in Stornoway under the auspices of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Scotland. We have been meeting in the small Culregrein mission house on Perceval Road. To date we have enjoyed pulpit supply from able preachers including Rev David Karoon, Rev Kenneth Stewart, Rev Andrew Quigley and Mr Stephen Steele. Rev David Karoon is from Singapore and was previously a minister in Arran before recently joining the RP Church in Scotland. Rev Kenneth Stewart who is well known to us in these parts is currently the minister of the RP congregation in Glasgow. Rev. Andrew Quigley is the minister of the RP congregation in Airdrie where he has been since 1994. Finally Stephen Steele is about to commence studies as a divinity student at the Irish RP college in Belfast.

For those of you who do not belong to the congregation, we would very much appreciate your prayers as we look to establish this fellowship and along with our brethren in other denominations in Stornoway seek to be as salt and light to the surrounding community and to reach the lost with the Gospel.”

From an earlier post here

From the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Scotland newsletter found here:

“In June 2010 the Airdrie RP Congregation began afternoon services in Glasgow out of a desire to see Christ establish an RP congregation in the city once again. This step of faith, supported by the RPCS Presbytery, was realised on Lord’s Day morning 22nd May 2011 when over 100 people gathered in Thornwood Primary School for the formal constitution of the new Glasgow RP Church. Many in the congregation, drawn from Airdrie, Stranraer, and Glasgow had a real sense of just how privileged they were, conscious of the fact that it has been 140 years since the last RP Church was established in Scotland.

The Rev. Andrew Quigley preached on the theme of ‘The Christian Faith, our glorious inheritance in Christ’. He made the point that for too long the RP Church in Scotland had been known for what it did not do. That, he said, was changing. Now we are becoming known as a Church which proclaims the gospel of Christ. A Church which is prayerfully expecting and working to see men, women, young people, and children converted and then conformed to the image of Christ.

The Rev. Gerald Milligan, Moderator of Presbytery, then put the terms of membership of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Scotland to the 20 men and women who were becoming members. The Church was then formally constituted by the Rev. Milligan as he led the congregation in prayer. After the singing of Psalm 72, Rev. Kenneth Stewart, the newly appointed organising minister, led in prayer and pronounced the benediction. The new congregation has been averaging in the 40s at both morning and evening worship which is a cause for great thanksgiving. We also know of another dozen or so people who have indicated that they will be coming to the church from the middle of June on.”

UPDATED April 16, 2011: Rev. Kenneth Stewart to the RPCS…

The Rev. Kenneth Stewart, formerly of Dowenvale Free Church of Scotland

The following is from the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Scotland website.

“The RPCS has received an application from Rev. Kenneth Stewart (formerly minister of Dowanvale Free Church of Scotland) to be received as a minister in the RPCS.” found here

And later as of April 16th:

“Rev. Kenneth Stewart, upon his assent to the ordination vows of the RPCS, became a minister in the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Scotland on Saturday the 16th April.”

Any thoughts?

Thanks to Connor Quigley for bringing this to our attention.

Some previous posts on this topic here and here

UPDATE on Rev. Kenneth Stewart: Pastor resigns over the issue of Exclusive Psalmody…

The Rev. Kenneth Stewart of Dowenvale Free Church of Scotland

I haven’t seen any other official reports of this, but the Hebrides News is reporting the following:

“Well-known Free Church minister Rev Kenneth Stewart is quitting the Free Church over the controversy to introduce hymns and music into worship services. Rev Stewart – a fierce critic of the hymn-singing move  – has resigned his post as a minister and would also sever his links with the denomination. Crucially, the North Uist-raised preacher is not expected to lead a split in the church nor encourage his congregation to follow him though he will highlight his own reasons for going.   He is expected to seek a new home as a pastor in another Scottish Presbyterian church. His actual departure date has not been revealed.”

The full report can be found here.

The Rev. Kenneth Stewart was one of the ministers who objected to the recent ruling of the Plenary Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland that will allow the use of hymns and musical instruments in the denomination. Rev. Stewart’s objection can be found here in a previous post. 

Recently, I found a fairly detailed report of the proceedings by the Rev. Peter Wallace, an OPC minister who attended the Plenary Assembly. It can be found here.